This invention relates to a vehicle seat, in which at least a portion of the support surface facing the user forms the outside of a wall, the inner side of which defines a channel through which air flows.
In increasing the comfort of vehicle seats it is known to provide seat heating. As a rule, seat heating of this type is provided by one or more heating mats drawing their requisite energy from the vehicle electric system. However, it has also been suggested to provide the seat with channels through which heated air passes, thus heating the inner side of the wall separating the support surface from the channel, in order to produce a heat transfer toward the support surface. Furthermore, to increase comfort in vehicle seats, it is known to introduce air into the seat and to permit it to exit out of the seat against the support surface, in order to achieve a cooling effect. The draft produced in this manner, however, is considered by many people to be uncomfortable and can actually be detrimental to good health. In addition, is the fact that in the areas where the seat user lies directly against the support surface, the air is effectively prevented from discharging from the support surface, so that in these areas there nevertheless results a heat blockage and, consequently, can lead to an increased precipitation of sweat, which can lead to an uncomfortable dampening of the clothes. Climate control devices have therefore proven marketable which lower the temperature of the air in the interior of the motor vehicle. The expense for these climate control devices, however, is significant. In addition, often the air flow necessary because of the required air recirculation is felt to be troublesome.